Mario Götze

Mario Götze born 3 June 1992 is a German footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Bayern Munich and the Germany national team. Although his favoured position is that of a playmaker, he can also be deployed as a striker or winger. Götze is considered to be one of the sport's best young players, possessing speed, technique, dribbling skills, and play-making capabilities. In 2010, German Football Association's then technical director Matthias Sammer described Götze as "one of the best talents Germany has ever had."

He played for Borussia Dortmund between 2009 and 2013, winning the Bundesliga title in 2010–11 and the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double in 2011–12, and was a member of the team which reached the 2013 UEFA Champions League Final. In April 2013, a €37 million bid from Bayern Munich triggered a release clause in Götze's contract, making Götze the second-most expensive German player to date, behind Mesut Özil.

Götze was first selected for the Germany national football team in 2010, at the age of 18. He was included in the squad for UEFA Euro 2012 and, two years later, scored the winning goal in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final.

Style of play
Götze is capable of playing as either a left or right winger, attacking midfielder and also as a false 9. Götze is considered to be one of the best young players in the world, possessing speed, technique, dribbling skills and play-making capabilities. At Dortmund under former manager Jürgen Klopp, Götze often played different roles in the team's 4–2–3–1 formation. Following the departure of fellow playmaker Shinji Kagawa in 2012, during the 2012–13 season, Klopp assigned Götze as central attacking midfielder. For Germany, Götze's talent is somtimes used by German coach Joachim Löw in the "false 9" role.

German football legend Franz Beckenbauer described Götze as "German Messi" for his speed and style of play. In 2010, German Football Association's then-Technical Director Matthias Sammer described Götze as "one of the best talents Germany has ever had."

Outside football

Personal life
Götze was born in Memmingen, Bavaria. His father, Jürgen Götze, is a professor at the Dortmund University of Technology. His older brother Fabian currently plays for SpVgg Unterhaching,having left Dortmund's youth system in 2010. His younger brother Felix currently plays for Bayern Munich's under-17 team. Götze has been in a relationship with German lingerie model Ann-Kathrin Brömmel since 2012. Götze is a Christian.

Sponsorship
In 2011, Götze signed a sponsorship kit deal with American sportswear and equipment supplier Nike. He appeared in an advert for the Nike Green Speed II alongside Eden Hazard, Theo Walcott, Raheem Sterling, Christian Eriksen and Stephan El Shaarawy in November 2012. In March 2014, Götze was one of the first players to wear Nike Magista boots. Götze appeared as part of a Galaxy XI in an advertisement for South Korean company Samsung alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Radamel Falcao and Iker Casillas in a team managed by German football legend Franz Beckenbauer. On 14 August 2014, Konami announced that they had featured Götze on the front cover of Pro Evolution Soccer 2015.